Apparatus for arresting sparks and purifying exhaust gases



J@ 5 7 L. MARKELS 2,3,2-

APPARATUS FOR ARRESTING SPARKS AND PURIFYING EXHAUST GASES r Filed June 21, 93

1 3. 30 I k 7- y I V m 30 3 /H 18 40 42 .T 2 T 35 I I 46' 24 12 f 10 I INVENTOR' ORNEY the exhaust of steam locomotives.

Patented June 9 1 936 4 UNITED PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR .ARRESTING SPARKS AND r RIFY NG EXHAUST GASES Leonard Markels, New York, N. Appraise June 21, 1932; Serial No. 618,442

.2' Claims. (c1.1ss 49) This invention relates to an apparatus for arresting sparks and purifying burned orexhaust gases from furnaces, boilers, engines and the like. 1

One object of my invention is to arrest sparks from locomotives, boilers, engines, furnaces and the like and topurify-th'e gases given off by the burning fuel. a

A further object isto facilitate the renewal of the purifying and deodorizing agent when the same shall have becomecharged or saturated with a deposit of soot, carbon or other deleterious constituents of burnedgases.

It is well known that many forest fires and other fires are caused -'by sparks. emitted from When the locomotive is being operated, hot burning cinders and particles of burnt coal flyout. through the smoke stack and produce a fire hazard. It is also well known that, a." steam train passing through a tunnel even though the windows and doors are closed has the cars filled with smoke and deleterious gases. My invention overcomes these objections; Aste'am engine may berun into the heartof a citywithout emitting objectionable gases or smoke if a device embodying my invention is applied to the engine.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 represents a partial vertical sectional view of a spark arrestor and gaspurifier applied to an exhaust deliveryimember of an engine, locomotive, furnace or the like. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical sectional view of a portion of. the device showing the purifying agent and means for holding the same in a cylinder.

Referring now to the drawing and to the form of my invention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3, the reference character it designates a chimney or exhaust pipe of an engine, furnace or the like to which is attached by bolts, clamps or screws, etc. a conduit member I2, having an offset portion Hi. This offset portion is provided with a cover I6 hinged at l8 and provided with a handle 2|]. For maintaining the lid. or cover in closed position the lid or cover is provided with a projection 22 which cooperates with a depression 24 in the offset portion. conduit member I2 is a fan generally indicated as at 26. As shown, the fan is enclosed to protect it from the elements and comprises a. rotary fan member 28 which is shown as adapted to be run by electricity but which may be run by mechanical means or the like. The fan member ting the flange.

Mounted on the top of the .is located in the chamber 30 provided with a tubular extension 32 which communicates with the chamber and which has a downwardly extending portion 34. This downwardly extending portion 34 communicates by means of I the coupling 35 with the purifying cylinder 36 which is positioned at an angle as seen in Fig. 2. At the lower end, the purifying cylinder is provided with a hinged lid or cover 31 which is similar to 'isshown the top portion of a purifying cylinder. "containing a mass of charcoal.

Intermediate its "ends the purifying cylinder is provided with shoulders 44 againstwhich the flanged sleeve'46 abuts.-v Mounted within the fianged'sleeve to abut the fiange'are the wire screens 48 enclosing a sheet or cloth of asbestos 50. At the other end or the cylinder a flanged sleeve 52 is provided receives the wire screens 54 and the asbestos sheet or cloth 56, the outer screen abut- Between the wire screens is a mass of activated charcoal 58. The upper flanged sleeve is held in position and forced against; the charcoal by the securing ring 42 provided'with the projections 40 which co-operate with. the bayonet slots 38. bestos I may use other fire-proof or fire-resistant material which acts similarly to the asbestos.

It is to be noted that the purifying medium is positioned between coupling 35 and securing ring 42 so that there is a free entry of exhaust gases into cylinder 36. In this way solid particles fall down the inclined inner surface of the cylinder 36 and the gases pass out through the purifying medium and into the atmosphere in a purified condition. In this form I have found that activated nutshell charcoal is admirably suited for arresting sparks and purifying exhaust gases.

The activated nutshell charcoal comprises a mass of hard shells of nuts or cocoanutshells which are first carbonized at high temperatures varying from 400 to 1000 C. for periods varying from 4 to 20 hours, and are subsequently activated by passing steam or air at lower temperatures through the mass. Due to the car- .bonization at high temperatures, the nutshell Instead of asing the motor by any mechanical means.

charcoal arrests sparks which may be given off by engine and locomotive exhaust gases without itself being ignited. Even if the charcoal becomes covered with oil or soot and a spark comes in contact therewith, the oil or soot is burned off the individual particles of charcoal without burning the charcoal. Nutshell charcoal has a high absorptive capacity for deleterious constituents of exhaust gases such as carbon monoxide and the like. The charcoal is very hard and under the pressure from the engine or locomotive exhaust gases retains its shape and form and does not pack. If ordinary wood charcoal were used, it would pulverize and pack and block the exhaust delivery member so that the efficiency of the engine or motor would be very much reduced. Another objection to ordinary wood charcoal is that it absorbs the water formed during the combustion of fuel and this absorbed water tends to coalesce and pack the material. Activated nutshell charcoal overcomes these obje ctions in that it does not absorb water and does not cause the mass to lump. Furthermore, the activated nutshell charcoal is angular and irregular in shape and retains this structure so that at .all times a plurality of passageways are formed through the charcoal to permit exhaust gases to pass therethrough. If the nutshell charcoal has been used for a long time and has become fouled, the device may be removed and steam passed through the device in a direction opposite to that in which the exhaust gases travel when the device is on an engine or a motor. This cleansing operation cannot be performed with ordinary charcoal, as such charcoal would pulverize and also become packed into a hard im-' penetrable mass.

The operation of the device shown in Figs. 1-3 will now be given. In the form shown in Figs. 1-3 the device is attached to an exhaust delivery member of an engine, locomotive, furnace or the like. The lid or cover [6 is normally closed and the fan member 28 is rotated by connecting the motor with a source of electricity or by driv- The action of the fan member causes a draft and suction and the exhaust gases are drawn through conduit member I2, extension 32, downwardly extending portion 34 and to the purifying cylinder 36. The gases are conducted to a point behind the purifying agent or agents so that large particles of cinders or coal are separated and fall down the inclined wall of the cylinder 36. The exhaust gases are forced through the asbestos sheet or cloth 50 and wire screens 40, through the activated charcoal, through screens 54 and asbestos sheet 56, and are permitted to escape into the atmosphere in a purified condition. This form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has an added advantage in that it creates a suction when a fire is first being formed in a furnace or engine so that more complete combustion is obtained and there is less loss of valuable unburned gases and particles of carbonaceous material from the exhaust delivery member.

I may put the purifying medium into a cartridge or cylinder so as to facilitate replacement of the purifying medium. Instead of the mounting of the charcoal purifying medium shown in Fig. 3, I may use a resilient mounting for keeping the charcoal in the cartridge or cylinder in a relatively compact condition and to take up any change in volume of the charcoal mass.

This case is filed as a continuation in part of my application on Art of sterilizing the exhaust from combustion engines, Ser. No. 576,685, filed July 22, 1922, and my application on Method of sterilizing engine exhaust, Ser. No. 237,625, filed December 5, 1927.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, adapted to arrest sparks and purify gases from burning fuel, a conduit member mounted on a smoke-stack member, fan means secured to said conduit member, a purifying cylinder having a i spark arresting and purifying medium comprising nutshell charcoal adjacent one end thereof, an asbestos screen at each end of said purifying medium, tubular means for connecting said conduit member and said cylinder intermediate the ends of said cylinder and behind said spark arresting and purifying medium, the fan means being .adapted to create a suction in said conduit member and force exhaust gases through said purifying cylinder and spark arresting and purifying medium.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a smokestack, of conduit means, a fan associated with said conduit means and adapted to create suction therein, a purifying cylinder provided with asbestos screens and positioned at an angle and provided with a removable spark arresting and'purifying medium at the top end thereof and a cover at the lower end thereof, said spark arresting and purifying .medium containing nutshellcharcoal, and tubular means for connecting said conduit means and said purifying cylinder intermediate the ends thereof.

LEONARD MARKELS. 

